Laundry marker



E. LANE LAUNDRY MARKER Filed Dec. 19. 1923 5 I T i f Edam Lane Patented July 8, 1924.

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EDWIN LANE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'IO CAROLYN LAUNDRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LAUNDRY MARKER.

Application filed December 19, 1923. Serial No. 681,639.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be'it known that I, EDWIN LANE, a citizen of the United States, residing'at NewYork, in the county ofNew Yorkand State-of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Laundry Markers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to markers for attachmentto articles or pieces of apparel and fiat work during laundering, dyeing or dry cleaning operations for convenience and certainty in identification and assortment. The main purpose of the improved markeris to provide a durable device bearing an identifying number or character and which may be easily attached to individual pieces or articles to be laundered or cleaned without directly'marking or puncturing, or in the least injuring said pieces or articles by stains or spots where the marker has been applled, and to insure a' continuous association with the marker of the article or piece treated during the movement of the article or piece through laundry or other machinery.- A

further purpose of-the improved marker is to permit the same to have a firnrholding association with the article or piece at one portion thereof which extends over the article'or piece and at thesame time allow the remaining portion of the marker to loosely move with relation to the piece or article to avoid a too stiff and resistant'application of themarker to the article during the cleaning of the same. A further purpose of the improvedmarker is to provide a construction'that will allow an application thereof fully over the portion of the article or'piece engaged without edge'projection and thereby removeor overcome all possibility of the marker catching in the laundry or other machinery. A further purpose of the improved marker is to provide structural means therein for preventing trapping of moisture or steam between the parts of the marker and the article or piece engaged thereby, and also to provide for hanging the marker and piece or article attached thereto in a'convenient manner to expose the identifying character thereon subsequent to the laundering, cleaning or dyeing operation and prior to assortment of the piece or article.

The improved marker construction is also simpleand convenient in its parts and may be easily manufactured and readily applied orremoved, a particular form of tool being employed for this purpose.

By the use of the improved marking tag i or marker all the pieces or articles of a distinct group or ownershlp havlng similar identifying numbers or characters may be readily and expeditiously assorted into lots or-parcels and the completeness or incompleteness of the group quickly ascertained subsequent to laundering, cleaning or dyeing operations.

The invention consists in the preferred:

Figure 5 is an edge elevation of the marker showing the parts thereof spread apart and engaged by the jaws of the applying, and removlng tool. 1

Figure 6 is an edge elevation of the marker with the parts thereof in normal position;

The present improved marker is a development of the several markersembodied in' my pending applications, Serial Nos.

681,685; 681,686; 681,637 and 681,638, re-' spectively, filed Dec. 19, 1922. The improved marker essentially consists of a single sheet metal strip 5 preferably of a noncorrosivenature, such as brass, phosphorbronze or German silver and centrally doubledupon itself to form a rear bend 6 and opposed jaws 7 and 8 which converge toward their free ends, an open space 9 being formed between the rear portions of the jaws, as clearly shown by Figure 6. Near their free ends the jaws 7 and 8 are each provided with inner engaging indented projections 10 and openings 11, the said openings 11 in the presentinstance being materially larger than the indentations or projections 10 and serving as ventilating openings. The indentations or projections and the openings are arranged in alternation in the opposing jaws, as clearly shown by Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4c, whereby the projections on one jaw will extend into the openings of the other jaw. As above specified, the indentations or projections and the openings are all disposed adjacent to the free ends of the jaws, so that the gripping action of the indentations or projections will take place at a point well over the article or piece engaged by the marker and the portion of the article or piece within the open space 9 will not have an attached confinementrelatively to the opposing parts of the marker. The openings 11 permit the escape of steam or moisture from the por tion of the article or piece engaged by the marker and this advantageous function prevents staining or spotting of the article or in any manner discoloring it, and, moreover, the indentations or projections are blunt at their free ends and will not penetrate or break the components of the article or piece engaged thereby. In rear of the location of the indentations or projections 10 and the openings 11, but close to the latter, each jaw is formed with an enlarged rectangular or similar opening 12, the two openings 12 of the opposed jaws 7 and 8 being in alinenient. These openings 12 extend to front sockets 13 which extend across the front terminals of said openings and are formed by striking the metal outwardly. The openings 12 in the performance of one of their functions also permit the escape of moisture and steam from the portion of the article or piece and by this.v means the improved marker is given a maximum ventilating structure. The front jaw 7 between the rear terminal of the opening 12 thereof and the bend 6 is provided with an identifying char acter or number 14, and it will be understood that all of the markers of one group will bear similar identifying numbers or characters, so that all the articles of laundry or pieces to be dry cleaned or dyed belonging to one person may becorrespondingly marked or each bear the same identifying number or character for convenience in separating the lots or groups of articles or pieces for the purposes of assortment and determination as to proper ownership. The rear jaw 8 has a lateral extension 15 at one side edge thereof, said extension extending nearly the full length of the jaw and having a large opening 16 therein, the purpose of this extension and the opening therein being to provide means for hanging the marker and the article or piece attached thereto on a hook or other device for the purpose of ready access in assorting pieces of the same group and also to temporarily hold pieces of the same group prior to assortment thereof. It will be seen that when the extension 15 with the opening 16 therein is utilized for hanging the marker and article attached thereto, the identifying number or character on the front jaw 7 will be fully exposed to and readily discernible by an operative so that the articles or pieces of the various groups may be readily assorted.

When the improved marker is properly applied to the article or piece, it will fully enclose, within its dimensions, the article portion engaged thereby and the edge of the article will engage the inner side of the bend 6. In other words, when the marker is applied to the article the bend 6 will closely engage the edge of the latter and the retention or securing means consisting of the alternately arranged indentations or projections and openings in the opposing jaws will be located at a distance inwardly from the edge of the article and reliably hold the marker to the article without the least liability of accidental disengagement, but at the same time, as hereinbefore noted, the portion of the article within the space 9 will not be clamped, or the outer portion of the marker will be free to move with material advantages in the retention of the marker on the article during the launder operation or while moving through the various parts of the laundry machinery. This freedom of movement of the marker just ex plained, will relieve the marker of stiff attachment to the article and result in a more positive retention of the marker in its place. Moreover, when the marker is fully ap lied to the article or piece the projection t ereof beyond the edge of the piece will be reduced to a minimum, and by this means the marker will more readily pass through laundry machinery and, in fact, will not offer the least obstruction or have any pulling strain imposed thereon during movement thereof through the mechanism.

The improved marker is applied and removed by a preferred tool which is incidentally shown in Figures 1 and 5, and said tool comprises a pair of normally open aws 17 and 18 intermediately fulcrumed as at 19 and held open by a stiff spring 20 disposed between the handles 21 in rear of the fulcrum 19. The jaws 17 and 18 are prevented from opening beyond a predetermined point by a stop pin 22. In the free ends of the jaws 17 and 18 arms 23 are adjustably mounted and have reduced ends or nibs 2 1 which are adapted to engage the 24 are spaced apart such distance that they may be readily passed over the bend 6 and guided to the openings 12, and when they reach the said openings in line with the sockets 13 the handles 21 are compressed against the resistance of the spring 20 so,

as to permit the nibs 24 to enter the sockets and when pressure is relieved from the handles 21 the spring 20 comes into play and restores the arms 23 and the nibs 24 to their normal open spaced relation, and at the same time the jaws 7 and 8 are forced apart simply by the stress of the spring 20 and whereby the improved marker may be readily applied and removed by a simple manipulation and without requiring any undue exertion or tedious operation on the part ,of the operator. The nibs 24 may be readily released from the sockets 13 by compressing the handles 21 against the resistance of the spring 20 in the same manner as when applying the nibs to the sockets, and then drawing outwardly on the tool to disengage the nibs or clear the latter relatively to said sockets, when the tool will be permitted to resume its normal condition and the arms 23 and nibs 24 may then be readily drawn outwardly over the marker. In applying the arms 23 and nibs 24 to the marker and placing the nibs in the openings 12 ready for engagement with the sockets 13 no contact with the article to which the marker is applied will ensue by reason of the space between the nibs and the arms 23, and, furthermore, the arms are so spaced and constructed that they will not compress the opposite jaws 7 and 8, particutarly at the connecting bend 6 of the latter. This tool has been made the subject-matter of a separate application filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 681,641, and the fore going description thereof is intended to demonstrate the preferred means of applying and removing the marker.

Preliminarily, it is proposed to assemble a certain number of the markers bearing similar identifying numbers or characters in grouped relation, or to connect and retain the same in connection with a suitable holding means which will render them easily accessible for use and also provide for a regular disposition when not in use. This holding means has been made the subject-matter of a separate application of even date herewith, Serial No. 681,640, and need not be explained in detail in connection with the improved marker forming the subjectmatter of the invention as above disclosed in. the present instance.

hat is claimed as new is z- 1. A reusable laundry marker composed of a doubled strip of flat spring metal formed with flat body members having normally closed jaws extending therefrom, a

clear space being formed between the-said members fully tothe bend of the strip, the jaws being formed with alternately arranged inwardly disposed retaining projections adjacent to but a short distance rear wardly from the free end edges of the jaws and wholly in advance of said flat body members, the remaining portions of the marker from the retaining projections to the bend'of the strip being free of any form of projection or filling to permit the marker to be fully inserted over the edge of an article or piece to\ bring the bend close to the said edge.

2. A reusable laundry marker consisting of an intermediately bent fiat strip of spring metal provided with flat body members with a clear space. between them and having closed aws extending therefrom in straight lines, normally in parallel relation and in close. contact the jaws being provided with opposed inwardly projecting angularly disposed securing means adjacent to and wholly in rear of the free end edges of the jaws to permit the marker to be fully applied up to the bend over the edge of an article or piece adapted to be laundered.

3. A reusable laundry marker composed of a flat strip of spring metal intermediately bent to provide fiat body members with a clear space between them and having normally closed jaws extending therefrom, the jaws being formed with inwardly extending angular projections adjacent to the free end edges of the jaws and wholly in advance of the flat body member, the'jaws also having ventilating openings adjacent to the projections and larger openings therethrough in rear of the projections to serve as ventilating openings and also as means to permit operation of the jaws for application and removal of the marker.

4. A reusable laundry marker consisting of an intermediately bent flat strip of sprin metal provided with fiat body members wit a clear space between them and having normally closed jaws continued therefrom, the jaws having retention projections of an inn penetrating character extending inwardly towards each other solely adjacent to and in rear of the free ends of the jaws and also embodying ventilating openings adj acentto the projections and larger openings in rear of the projections, the front end walls of the larger openings being formed with outstruck sockets for engagement by means for simultaneously springing the jaws apart from opposite sides of the marker and for holding the marker during application and removal thereof.

5. A reusable laundry marker consisting of an intermediately bent strip of flat spring metal having flat members with a clear space between them and provided with normally closed jaws continuing therefrom, the jaws being formed with inwardly extending proacter and one of the jaws having a lateral jections near but in rear of the free end extension at one side thereof formed With a edges thereof, the opposite jaws also being slot to serve as a hanger for the article and 10 provided With enlarged openings with outmarker engaged thereby.

5 struck front Walls in rear of projections to In testimony whereof I have hereunto set effect a separation of the jaws, one of the my hand. body members having an identifying char- EDWIN LANE 

